Extension car-step.



F.`W. CHICKERING. EXTENSION CAR STEP.

lMPLICATION FILED DEC.23, 1914.

2 SHEETS--SHEET l.

F. w. CHICKERING. EXTENSION CAR STEP.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.28, I9I4.

3911469356 Patented July 27, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IIIIIIHHII" 1i M WNlTED @middle FATEN OFFlOE.

FRANK W. CHICKERING, 0F HARDWICK, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 JOHNJ. GALLAGrI-IER, ,OF HARDWICK, VERMONT.

EXTENSION CAR-STEP.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK lV. @molina ING, a citizen of the UnitedStates, 'residing at Hardwick, in the county of Caledonia and State ofVermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ExtensionCar- Steps; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention., such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in extension steps which are moreparticularly adapted for use on freight cars.

The object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed andefficient extension step or series of steps which may be quickly andeasily lowered and locked in operative position, and readily swungupward and slid backward into retracted inoperative position and lockedout of the way by an upward tilting and backward sliding movement.

Another object is tov provide sliding eX- tension steps with means forautomatically locking them when slid forward and swung downwardly intooperative position, and also automatic means for locking them inretracted inoperative position.

Another object is to provide steps 'of this character which when drawnforward a pre* determined distance will drop down by gravity intooperative position and be automatically locked in said position.

The steps constituting this invention may be applied equally well to afreight car, motor truck, farm wagon, or any object or support where anextension step is needed to provide means for conveniently entering orleaving a vehicle or the support to which it is attached; or it may beused as an extension step for application to the ordinary car steps andframe now in common use on railway cars, whereby an auxiliary step orsteps having the same appearance and dimensions as the stationary stepsmay be quickly extended and lowered by an attendant when the car stops,and as quickly raised out of the way and locked prior to the starting ofthe car.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, and the combination and ar rangement ofparts as will be more fully deA yscribed and claimed.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27, 1915.

A Application led December 28, 1914. Serial No. 879,380.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a side elevation ofthis improved extension step shown in extended operative position andapplied to a freight car a fragment of which is shown in section; Fig. 2is an end elevation of this attachment with the step in retractedinoperative position; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view thereof with the stepretracted; Fig. l is a longitudinal central section taken on the line 1-t of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an end view showing the step in loweredposition, and Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of theattaching brackets with a portion of the connecting rod shown applied.

The attachment constituting this invention comprises combined attachingbrackets and guides 1 and 2 with a series of Inovable steps slidablymounted therein, it being obvious that a single step may be used insteadof the series herein shown.

The brackets l and 2 are similarly constructed and hence one only willbe' described in detail. Each of these brackets is made inthe form shownin Fig. 6 with an attaching plate 3 provided with apertures 4c for thepassage therethrough of the securing screws or bolts, said plate beinghere shown wider at its front than at its rear end, although it may beof the same width throughout if desired.

Depending at right angles from one side edge of the plate 3 is a stepsupporting plate 5 which is preferably formed integral with the plate 3and is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 6 extendingthroughout the greater portion of its length and arranged parallel withthe straight upL per edge thereof, the front end of said slot beinginclined downwardly and forwardly to form a seat 7 for a purpose to bedescribed. As shown these plates 5 each has a depending ear 9 at itsfrontend in which is liXedly mounted a cross rod 8 which is designed toform one member of a step lock to be hereinafter described, and whichalso serves to connect and brace the brackets l and 2 at their frontends where the greater portion of the strain is borne when the steps arein use.

The movable step or steps 10 comprise the -usual side pieces 1]. and l2,the upper rear ends of which are prolonged to form in clined downwardlyand rearwardly extending obtuse angled arms 13 and 14C here shownintegral with the side pieces 11 and 12, and tapered toward their freeends to reduce their weight.

A cross rod 15 extends through the side pieces 11 and 12 at theirjuncture with the A arms 13 and 14 andl projects beyond the outerfacesof said side pieces, being lixedly connected therewith and whichforms a strengthening brace for the side pieces, the projecting ends ofsaid rod being adapted to slidably engageV the slots G in the brackets 1and 2, and in connection with the inclined ends or seats 7 of saidslots, form a lock for the steps when in lowered operative position, asis shown clearly in Fig. 1. j VTwo steps 16 are here shown disposed anydesired or suitable distance from each other and provided with the usualrisers 17 which are here shown slotted at their lower edges as at 18 topermit water to drain therefrom when in inoperative position, asotherwise the combined steps and risers would form troughs for holdingwater, snow and the like. The steps 1G are shown perforated as at 19 forthe same purpose. A handle 2O is shown mounted on the lower face of thebottom step 16 and is designed for operating the steps.

In the use of this step the brackets 1 and `2 being secured to the sillsS of a freight car orto any other support to which the step is to beattached with the rod 8 connecting and bracing them as shown, theprojecting ends of the rod 15 are positioned in the slots 6 of theplates 5 of said brackets and whereby said steps are slidably engagedwith said brackets to provide for their ready retraction and expansionwhen desired. When the steps are moved forwardly and swung downwardlyinto the position shown in Fig. 1, the studs formed by the projectingends of the rod 15 will enter lthe seats 7 of the slots 6 and lock saidsteps in lowered operative position, the rear free ends of the arms 13Vand 14 engaging the lower faces of the plates 3 of the brackets 1 and 2,and thereby relieving the cross rod 15 of the major portion of theweight to be borne by the steps, it being obvious that any weight placedon said steps will be borne by the plates 3 against which these armsabut. The projecting ends of the rod 15 in addition to forming lockingmeans for the steps also form a pivotal connection of the steps with thebracketsso that they may be readily swung upwardly. when it is desiredto retract them. Y y

As shown the lower edges of the arms 13 vand V1li are`inclined and areso positioned as to engage the cross rod 8 when` the steps are g swungupwardly, thereby causing the Y ends of the cross bar 15 to rideupwardly in the seats orinclined slots 7 to position them vtioned thatthey will lit over and engage the cross rod 8 when the projecting endsof the rod 15 have reached their extreme rearward limit, and are incontact with the rear ends of the slots 6 and thus said steps will besecurely locked by this engagement of the notches 21 and rod 8 inretracted inoperative position.

When it is desired to extend the steps into operative position, thehandlel 2O is grasped and the steps raised slightly a. sufficientdistance to disengage the notches 21 in the side pieces 11 and 12 fromthe cross rod 8, and a forward pull is then exerted on the steps,causing the ends of rod 15 to slide forwardly in the slots 6, and whenthey reach the front ends thereof they will automatically drop into theseats 7 and thereby securely lock the steps in lowered operativeposition.

By constructing these steps and their connecting brackets in the mannerabove described, it will be obvious that very slight exertion isnecessary for raising and shifting the steps to retracted position, andthat a slight pull only is necessary for moving them forward, and thatwhen they reach the front ends of the slots 6 they will be dropped bygravity into the seats 7, formed at the front ends of these slots 6 asabove described.

I claim as my invention:

1. An extension step comprising supporting brackets havinglongitudinally extending slots, a cross rod connecting said brackets,steps having side members provided with inclined rearwardly extendingarms at their upper ends, studs extending laterally from said sidemembers, said side members having notches formed in their lower edgespositioned to engage the cross bar of said brackets when the steps aremoved inwardly to their extreme limit.

2. An extension step comprising supporting brackets havinglongitudinally extending slots provided at their front ends withdownwardly inclined communicating seats, steps having side membersprovided with obtuse angled rearwardly extending arms at their upperends, lateral projections on said side members slidable in the slots ofsaid brackets, and coperating means on said side members and bracketsfor locking said steps in retracted position.

3. A slidable swinging extension step comprising horizontally disposedsupporting brackets having longitudinally extending slots therein, saidslots being inclined downwardly and forwardly at their front ends toform seats, side pieces having a step arranged between them, laterallyprojecting studs carried by said side pieces land slidable in saidslots, said studs being adapted to enter said seats when the stepcarrying side pieces reach their extreme outward limit.

4. A slidable swinging extension step comprising horizontally disposedsupporting brackets having longitudinally extending slots therein, saidslots being inclined downwardly and forwardly at their front ends toform seats, side pieces having a step arranged between them, laterallyprojecting studs carried by said side pieces and slidable in said slots,said studs being adapted to enter said seats when the step carrying sidepieces reach their extreme outward limit, lateral stops on said bracketsand rearwardly extending arms on said side pieces for engaging saidbracket stops to limit the downward movement of the swinging extensionstep member.

5. An extension step comprising supporting brackets havinglongitudinally extending slots provided at their front ends withdownwardly inclining seats, a cross rod connecting said brackets, stepshaving side members provided with inclined rearwardly extending arms attheir upper ends, steps disposed between said side members, studsextending laterally from said side members at the junction of said armswith said side members, said side members having notches formed in theirlower front edges positioned to engage the cross bar of said bracketswhen the steps are moved inwardly to their extreme limit.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

' FRANK W. CHICKERING.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR F. Gnow, MELVIN G. MORSE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

